Miroslav Djukić
Monday 4 June 2007
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Date of birth: 19 February 1966
Playing career: FK Macva, FK Rad, RC Deportivo La Coruña, Valencia CF, CD Tenerife; Yugoslavia (48 caps)
Coaching career: Serbia Under-21s (since 2006) and FK Partizan (since January 2007)
Miroslav Djukić enjoyed plenty of success as a player in Spain with Deportivo and Valencia and looks set to continue in the same vein on the bench after guiding Serbia through qualifying in his first job as a coach.
Djukić, the last great libero in Yugoslavian domestic football, began his playing career with his hometown club Macva before spurning Serbia's big two FK Crvena Zvezda and FK Partizan to join Rad, a club on the rise. It was an unusual choice, but then Djukić has always done things his way. Similar thinking took him to Deportivo in 1990. Then a second division side, Djukić's decision was quickly vindicated as Depor won promotion the following year and were soon competing at Europe's top table.
Djukić will always be associated with the club, particularly for one moment in the final round of the 1993/94 season when he missed a penalty in the final minute against Valencia that cost them the title. Two years later Djukić moved to Valencia and the following season Depor finally won their first league title. "God exists, they deserve that. Now I have peace in my soul," Djukić said. After twice appearing on the losing side with Valencia in the UEFA Champions League finals of 2000 and 2001, Djukić eventually collected some silverware himself as the Mestalla club captured the Spanish crown in 2002.
He made his international debut for Yugoslavia in a 1-1 draw against Turkey in Izmir on 27 February 1991. He went on to win 46 caps, scoring twice, and represented his country at the 1998 FIFA World Cup as well as UEFA EURO 2000™. He saw out his career with Tenerife in 2004 before training to be a coach in Spain. The hard work paid off with his appointment as Serbia coach ahead of qualifying for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. Serbia's successful campaign caught the eye of Partizan who gave him his first taste of club management when they named him coach on 9 January 2007. Djukić will continue in both jobs until the end of the tournament in the Netherlands after which he will step down as coach of the U21s.
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